Judge orders release of woman jailed for non-payment of council tax

A High Court judge has released a woman jailed for failing to pay council tax, saying she should not have been imprisoned.

Melanie Woolcock, of Porthcawl, had been given an 81-day sentence by Bridgend magistrates in July 2016 for failing to pay £10 a week towards her £4,700 debt to Bridgend County Borough Council.

Ms Woolcock had been unable to keep up the payments after she became sick and could not work.

She spent 40 days in prison before a charity intervened and took her case to the High Court. Mr Justice Lewis ruled that she should be released.

The BBC reports the judge said: “There was no evidential basis on which the magistrates' court could conclude that there had been culpable neglect in non payment.”

A Bridgend spokesman said: “Councils have a legal responsibility to collect unpaid council tax, but offer support and help to anyone who is experiencing difficulty - prosecution is always a last resort.

“We understand that the resident in this case was jailed after failing to meet the requirements of the suspended sentence issued by the magistrate’s court.

“Our advice to anyone who is experiencing difficulty paying their council tax is to contact us as early as possible so that we can help and advise them.”